Disney Plus Latin America and Caracol TV Shatter Records with High Ratings

In a groundbreaking move, Disney+ Latin America and Caracol TV from Colombia took the entertainment world by storm by airing and streaming a series simultaneously, breaking traditional distribution norms. The series in question, "Peter the Great: Greater Than Ever" ("Pedro el escamoso: más escamoso que nunca"), a sequel to Caracol TV’s popular show "Pedro el escamoso," became a massive success for Caracol TV, garnering a 47.1% share and a 9.3 rating for its grand finale. This achievement outshone its direct competitor, "Yo Soy Betty La Fea," which managed a 25.1% share and a 5.0 rating.

The collaboration between Caracol TV and Disney+ saw the sitcom dominating prime time with its 23 episodes, averaging a rating of 9.3 and a 44.2% share. The series captivated over 6.5 million Colombian viewers per episode, according to Caracol TV.

Fernando Barbosa, SVP & general manager of Media Networks at The Walt Disney Company Latin America, highlighted the uniqueness of launching a show simultaneously on a Direct-to-Consumer Platform (DTC) and a Free-to-Air (FTA) network. He emphasized the success of this strategy, stating that it was a win-win situation for both Caracol and Disney.

The storyline of the sequel revolves around Pedro Coral’s return to his hometown after two decades abroad. Upon his return, he is faced with a starkly different reality and endeavors to earn his son’s admiration by weaving a web of tales to conceal his past sacrifices. However, his fabrications begin to unravel when he takes a job at the same company where his son holds a prominent position.

Lisette Osorio, VP of Business Affairs at Caracol TV, expressed how the alliance with Disney enabled them to transform the show into a multi-platform success, resonating with audiences across generations and geographies.

Barbosa mentioned that key performance indicators were used to gauge the show’s performance on Disney+, including hours streamed, reach, first streams, and completion rates. The series was launched on Disney+ in various countries and distributed to FTA networks across Latin America.

The show also made its debut on the U.S. Hispanic network Univision and the UnivisionTelevisa ViX platform in September. Looking ahead, Barbosa expressed enthusiasm for future collaborations with Caracol TV, emphasizing the strong partnership between the two companies in distributing content globally.